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A jury convicted a Laurel woman late today of taking part in an extortion scheme against a neurosurgeon with whom she had an affair. Queen Nwoye, 28, was accused of conspiring to extort $180,000 from Ikemba Iweala, a doctor at Providence Hospital. Prosecutors said Nwoye and a partner - who has not been charged in the case - threatened to reveal the affair unless Iweala turned over the money. Iweala, who is married, paid the money but then alerted authorities, prosecutors said.

Jurors deliberated less than two hours before returning their verdict. Nwoye likely faces a prison term of 30 to 37 months under federal sentencing guidelines, prosecutors said. U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle set a Jan. 18 sentencing date.

The 59-year-old Nigerian neurosurgeon at Providence Hospital confessed that he started an affair with Nwoye, a nurse who hailed from his native country.

He told the jury yesterday that his stupidity sullied his and his family's reputation and seriously wounded his marriage.

"Things will never be the same," a frail-looking, gray-bearded Iweala said with a sigh as he testified this week. "I am still married. . . . But I feel very angry at myself. And, I have lost a lot of money."

Iweala hoped to conceal the affair and protect his community standing in the United States and in Nigeria, he acknowledged to prosecutors. Other members of his family, based in the cozy suburb of Potomac and with high profiles in their own fields, had much at stake as well.

His wife, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is a former foreign and finance minister for Nigeria and a veteran employee of the World Bank. She is a Harvard-educated economist and was mentioned as a possible successor to Paul D. Wolfowitz, who resigned as president in June. This month, the new World Bank president, Robert B. Zoellick, made her one of his top deputies.

Uzodinma Iweala, the couple's son, who graduated from St. Albans and Harvard, is the author of the critically acclaimed "Beasts of No Nation," his first novel. The fictionalized story of an African child warrior was released last year.

Nwoye insisted that she, too, was a victim.

Testifying in her own defense, she admitted yesterday that she helped collect the money and helped her boyfriend, Adriane Osuagwu, pretend to be her cousin so he could conceal his identity. But with a sullen face and insistent cries, Nwoye testified that she was powerless to resist the orders of Osuagwu, whom she described as a physically abusive, controlling man and as the scheme's mastermind.

"This is a sad case," Nwoye's attorney, John Iweanoge, told jurors in opening statements earlier in the week. "You're going to hear evidence of adultery, no question. You're going to hear about money going into Ms. Nwoye's accounts."

But, the defense attorney continued, "Ms. Nwoye was a victim too, She made the mistake of her life falling in love in the middle of a divorce with the wrong man."

According to court papers, the story began in early 2002 when Nwoye, then a nurse in training, noticed the doctor's name in a hospital directory. She said she recognized Iweala as a fellow Nigerian and introduced herself. They became friends, and, in September 2002, they became lovers. The sexual relationship ended in August 2003, they both say, but their friendship continued.

Nearly three years later, in February 2006, Iweala testified, he received a surprise call from Nwoye. She told Iweala that he must call her cousin "Ufondu" in Georgia. It was then that "Ufondu," an alias that the nurse's new boyfriend was using, demanded that the doctor pay $20,000 or he would tell Iweala's wife about the affair. Within a week, the man demanded another $20,000, prosecutors said.

On March 10, 2006, Nwoye called Iweala to suggest that they meet because "she said she had not had sex in a while," according to court papers. While the two were having sex in the parking lot in Nwoye's car, someone approached and began taking photographs. That night, "Ufondu" called Iweala again to demand an additional $100,000, the court papers said.

Iweala said the demands by "Ufondu" continued. Authorities say Nwoye picked up some of the checks and cash and deposited the money into her and her boyfriend's bank accounts. "There is a lot I could have done," she told the jury. "I really wanted something to be done, but I couldn't help myself."

Iweala brought the case to the FBI's attention and agreed to help authorities in the prosecution. "He felt compelled to bring the culprits to justice in order to prevent others from falling prey to a similar scheme," said Iweala's attorney, Vincent Cohen.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Hart-Edwards told jurors that the case is not about getting the money back. "That's gone," she said.

One unanswered question for the jury so far concerns the boyfriend, Osuagwu. If he orchestrated this extortion plot along with the nurse, as the government alleges, where is he, and why hasn't he been charged, too?

If he only went to Blue Heaven on Ginuwa Street for Warri, Philo for give am everything he want for N10,000 for the best kwana-gida service (as a dollar earning been-to, if not locals pay only N5k) whether na for garage or for inside boot sef. Let's say he came back ten times, that is only N100,000 or less than $1,000.

Gwobe!!!!! hummm you are terrible!!!
Ehen, I don know where you dey disappear to now. So na different kin consultation you dey go for abi?

If he only went to Blue Heaven on Ginuwa Street for Warri, Philo for give am everything he want for N10,000 for the best kwana-gida service (as a dollar earning been-to, if not locals pay only N5k) whether na for garage or for inside boot sef. Let's say he came back ten times, that is only N100,000 or less than $1,000.

Gwobe!!!!! hummm you are terrible!!!
Ehen, I don know where you dey disappear to now. So na different kin consultation you dey go for abi?

Haba Hajiya VOR, my original SW zonal first lady!! How you dey talk like this? My consultation na for those visitors from oyibo land wey dey come do familiarisation visit for town. If to say Ikemba ask for road, we for show am instead of the cinema wey he go do for car park. We na tourist guide we dey do o but some villagers know road well well like the ogogoro quaffing one wey park him car outside Apolo house.

My people, una see this tsohon mutumi wey dey bob and weave in and out of the square in the cover of night? Since Mallam TS return to obodo country, na so him just dey scarce. He say NEPA dey hold power for him side. I say make he come for Asokoro, he say he dey come. Anyway e good to dey see him break light small.

@ TS, to buttress your quotes:

QUOTE:

Ba a gama gudu da susar gindi. (You cannot run and scratch your blokos at the same time)

Ask Mallam Ikemba. The attempt cost him $180,000 (N23m).

QUOTE:

Zuma da zaki da harbi (Honey is sweet but stings)

Now Mallam Ikemba knows.

Of yours, this is my best:

QUOTE:

'Allah ya hana binkice'. The Almighty Allah forbids investigation!

So it is against the law to look before you leap ko? Smell before you chop? Brush before shining? Shine before polish? ..any others?

@ VOR, Emj
Please take note that bobbito is now officially on strike and will not make an appearance anywhere or everywhere for the foreseable future until the threat to the member's well being dissipates. Meanwhile an official complaint has been lodged with the acting Nigerian High Commissioner in London who should make a press statement exculpating Obasanjo from any culpability in this matter. This will be backed by a memo from the British Police. The statement will then be brought to the attention of villagers by the acting spokesman for the acting Nigerian High Commissioner. Just in case any village (or HoR) rascals want to blame Obasanjo for any "bobbitan" (or bobbituous) threat to their members. Lucky Ikemba. At least he has not lost his membership.

the sanctimonious among us who read the story first and then wished to dictate to the rest of us what is important or not, should learn to put a sock in it.

Which is more \"sanctimonious\" ; to wallow and bask in entertainment from other people's private sexual moral issue with \"hollier than thou\" gossip and discussions, OR to wish them renewal of positive human spirit while the law takes its course.

It is even worse that the quoted statement is coming from someone who apparently is very familiar with where to go and how much it costs to do all kinds of things. Presumably a muslim, I suppose.

And then someone that I now percieve as a young lady is thanking the above teacher for his lessons. Young lady you had better learnt from a better teacher.

Ogugua,

You come accross as particularly disturbed and , to an extent , hurt by the comments flowing from this matter which, to the best of my knowledge, the doctor (now of ill fame) voluntarily brought to the public domain. You may be a friend or relation to the Iwealas therefore your unrestrained disposition to take ALL comments hereof personal. You may also be a person that abhors medlesomeness. In all your contributions(and they are many)you have attempted, in one way or the other, to say-let sleeping dogs lie. It is however quite difficult for one to see how that can be archieved seeing as you have consistently opened new vistas to the issues herein! What is Islam got to do with the sexcapades of the doctor. I believe your point is already made and if you dont want this thread to continue to elongate , you may stop posting comments here, as an example.

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